A review of the use of microplastics in reconstructing dated sedimentary archives

Martin, Jake; Lusher, Amy; Nixon, F. Chantel

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150818

Cited by 34 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The primary approaches are (1) sampling recent surficial sediment deposits at a station recurrently, and (2) sampling the accumulated sediment record deposited at a site by the collection of discrete subsurface sediment strata in addition to recent surface deposits. These sediment layers can frequently be dated using radionuclide techniques in undisturbed settings, often with support from other environmental proxies (Martin et al, 2022). Current knowledge and available methods for microplastic assessment are weighted towards surface sediment sampling and can be used to develop monitoring programmes in the first instance.…”

Section: Strengths and Limitations Of Water Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sampling of the dated sediment record allows for the construction of time series. However, it can be technically challenging to sample at sufficient temporal resolution at deep-sea sites with very low deposition rates, in areas with extreme sedimentation such as below glaciers (Husum et al, 2019;Svendsen et al, 2002), or in areas that have heavily disturbed sediments (e.g., bioturbated from burying and excavation by sediment associated fauna) (Martin et al, 2022). Concerning shoreline and intertidal sediment, GESAMP (2019) has developed guidelines for the monitoring of microplastics.…”

Section: Strengths and Limitations Of Water Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even though water and sediment concentrations are not strictly comparable given the aforementioned differences between these environmental compartments. The deposition rate and the mixing depth of microplastics into sediment is affected by natural factors such as ocean currents and bioturbation but also by anthropogenic activities, e.g., trawling, dredging, and other physical disturbances resulting in resuspension events (Martin et al, 2022). In the Arctic additional factors such as sea ice conditions and glacial meltwater impact sedimentation.…”

Section: Aquatic Sedimentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the susceptibility for sediment in calm areas to accumulate and sequester microplastics, and the potentially weak upward transport of already buried plastics (≥ 100 µm) (Brandon et al, 2019;Fan et al, 2019;Näkki et al, 2019;Courtene-Jones et al, 2020), these depositional systems represent a temporal record of plastic input to aquatic environments (e.g., Dahl et al, 2021). However, microplastics settled on the seafloor or stranded on shorelines may still be subsequently resuspended and further transported with water currents or redistributed within the sediment column (Enders et al, 2019;Kane et al, 2020;Martin et al, 2022). Microplastics have now received substantial targeted attention globally due to their ubiquitous yet challenging to quantify environmental presence (Zhang et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introduction / Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The power of multi-matrix monitoring in the Pan-Arctic region: plastics in water and sediment

et al. 2023

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Litter and microplastic assessments are being carried out worldwide. Arctic ecosystems are no exception and plastic pollution is high on the Arctic Council’s agenda. Water and sediment have been identified as two of the priority compartments for monitoring plastics under the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Recommendations for monitoring both compartments are presented in this publication. Alone, such samples can provide information on presence, fate, and potential impacts to ecosystems. Together, the quantification of microplastics in sediment and water from the same region produce a three-dimensional picture of plastics, not only a snapshot of floating or buoyant plastics in the surface water or water column but also a picture of the plastics reaching the shoreline or benthic sediments, in lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Assessment methodologies must be adapted to the ecosystems of interest to generate reliable data. In its current form, published data on plastic pollution in the Arctic is sporadic and collected using a wide spectrum of methods which limits the extent to which data can be compared. A harmonised and coordinated effort is needed to gather data on plastic pollution for the Pan-Arctic. Such information will aid in identifying priority regions and focusing mitigation efforts.

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Section: Strengths and Limitations Of Water Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Strengths and Limitations Of Water Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Aquatic Sedimentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction / Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The power of multi-matrix monitoring in the Pan-Arctic region: plastics in water and sediment

et al. 2023

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“…This could be overcome through litter and MP analysis of legacy samples, such as sea ice and glacier samples, although contamination control may be unreliable. Another option is the stratigraphic analysis of sediment samples (Courtene-Jones et al, 2020;Martin et al, 2022), which could also apply to glacier cores. However, processes of accumulation of plastics over time or local distribution are site-specific and dynamic: Mallory et al (2021) noted that the distribution of plastic debris on low slope, sandy Arctic shorelines largely represented recent additions.…”

Section: Access To Open Data To Deduce Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Future monitoring of litter and microplastics in the Arctic—challenges, opportunities, and strategies

et al. 2023

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The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has published a plan and guidelines for the monitoring of litter and microplastics (MP) in the Arctic. Here we look beyond suggestions for immediate monitoring and discuss challenges, opportunities and future strategies in the long-term monitoring of litter and MP in the Arctic. Challenges are related to environmental conditions, lack of harmonization and standardization of measurements, and long-term coordinated and harmonized data storage. Furthermore, major knowledge gaps exist with regard to benchmark levels, transport, sources and effects, which should be considered in future monitoring strategies. Their development could build on the existing infrastructure and networks established in other monitoring initiatives in the Arctic, while taking into account specific requirements for litter and MP monitoring. Knowledge existing in northern and Indigenous communities, as well as their research priorities, should be integrated into collaborative approaches. The monitoring plan for litter and MP in the Arctic allows for an ecosystem-based approach, which will improve the understanding of linkages between environmental media of the Arctic, as well as links to the global problem of litter and MP pollution.

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Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker

Pittroff,

Loui,

Oswald

et al. 2024

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Riverbed sediments have been identified as temporary and long-term accumulation sites for microplastic particles (MPs), but the relocation and retention mechanisms in riverbeds still need to be better understood. In this study, we investigated the depth-specific occurrence and distribution (abundance, type, and size) of MPs in river sediments down to a depth of 100 cm, which had not been previously investigated in riverbeds. In four sediment freeze cores taken for the Main River (Germany), MPs (≥ 100 µm) were detected using two complementary analytical approaches (spectroscopy and thermoanalytical) over the entire depth with an average of 21.7 ± 21.4 MP/kg or 31.5 ± 28.0 mg/kg. Three vertical trends for MP abundance could be derived, fairly constant in top layers (0–‍30 cm), a decrease in middle layers (30–60 cm), and a strong increase in deep layers (60–100 cm). The dominant polymer types were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PP were also found in deep layers, albeit with the youngest age of earliest possible occurrence (EPO age of 1973 and 1954). The fraction of smaller-sized MPs (100–500 µm) increased with depth in shallow layers, but the largest MPs (> 1 mm) were detected in deep layers. Based on these findings, we elucidate the relationship between the depth-specific MP distribution and the prevailing processes of MP retention and sediment dynamics in the riverbed. We propose some implications and offer an initial conceptual approach, suggesting the use of microplastics as a potential environmental process tracer for driving riverbed sediment dynamics.

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A review of the use of microplastics in reconstructing dated sedimentary archives

Cited by 34 publications

References 52 publications

The power of multi-matrix monitoring in the Pan-Arctic region: plastics in water and sediment

The power of multi-matrix monitoring in the Pan-Arctic region: plastics in water and sediment

Future monitoring of litter and microplastics in the Arctic—challenges, opportunities, and strategies

Riverbed depth-specific microplastics distribution and potential use as process marker

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